Book Review: Stay Awake by Megan Goldin

Title: Stay Awake

Author: Megan Goldin

Series/Standalone: Standalone

Genre: Adult Fiction, Thriller

Pages: 352

Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Year Published: 2022

Format: Audiobook

"Liv Reese wakes up in the back of a taxi with no idea where she is or how she got there. When she's dropped off at the door of her brownstone, a stranger answers- a stranger who now lives in her apartment and forces her out in the cold. She reaches for her phone to call for help, only to discover it's missing, and in its place is a bloodstained knife. That's when she sees that her hands are covered in black pen, scribbled messages like graffiti on her skin: STAY AWAKE.

Two years ago,  Liv was living with her best friend, dating a new man, and thriving as a successful writer for a trendy magazine. Now, she's lost and disoriented in a New York City that looks nothing like what she remembers. Catching a glimpse of the local news, she's horrified to see reports of a crime scene where the victim's blood has been used to scrawl a message across a window, the same message that's inked on her hands. What did she do last night?? And why does she remember nothing from the past two years? Liv finds herself on the run for a crime she doesn't remember nothing from the past two years? Liv finds herself on the run for a crime she doesn't remember committing as she tries to piece together the fragments of her life. But there's someone who does know exactly what she did, and they'll be anything to make her forget- permanently."

My Rating: 1.5/5

I had previously read a book by the author and really enjoyed it. So picking up this I thought I would also enjoy it, but it read like a basic cop show. While I was curious where it was going, i was hoping for a wild twist, but it went in a way where I shrugged and just said it made sense. Finishing the book I don't know if I felt anything profound. It was fine, but I wanted so much more. I would give this author one more shot. 

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: The Escape Room by Megan Goldin

Title: The Escape Room

Author: Megan Goldin

Series/Standalone: Standalone

Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Adult

Pages: 357

Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Year Published: 2019

Format: Audiobook

"Welcome to the escape room. Your goal is simple. Get out alive.

In a lucrative world of finance, Vincent, Jules, Sylvie, and Sam are at the top of their game. They've mastered the art of the deal and celebrate their success in style- but a life of extreme luxury always comes at a cost.

Invited to participate in an escape room challenge as a team-building exercise, the ferociously competitive co-workers crowd into the elevator of a high-rise building, eager to prove themselves. But when the lights go off and the doors stay shut, it quickly becomes clear that this is no ordinary competition: they're caught in a dangerous game of survival.

Trapped in the dark, the colleagues must put aside their bitter rivalries and work together to solve cryptic clues to break free. But as the game begins to reveal the team's darkest secrets, they realize there's a price to be paid for the terrible deeds they committed in their ruthless climb up the corporate ladder. As tempers fray, and the clues turn deadly, they must solve one final chilling puzzle: which one of them will kill in order to survive?"

My Rating 4/5

I would claim that this book is a mystery, but damn is it ever thrilling. I would really recommend this to someone who wants a twist between Hustlers and Wolf on Wallstreet. It really describes this incredibly competitive work life, and the way people who make a ton of money live, or work to live. I always think this is interesting, as my career choice is so vastly different (not that ECE's don't work hard, of course, we do but to this extreme). I also loved the dual P.OV's in the book. Going between past and present really upped the tension. I look forward to reading more work by the author, hopefully, more thrillers!

Thanks for reading,

Sidny